A vehicle “consist” is a group of two or more vehicles that are mechanically coupled or linked together to travel along a route. Trains may have one or more consists of goods or passenger cars, and one or more locomotives or locomotive consists. In general, trains may be referred to as rail vehicles comprising one or more locomotive consist and/or railcar consists. Locomotives in a locomotive consist include a lead locomotive and one or more trail locomotives. A train generally has at least one lead locomotive consist, and may also have one or more remote locomotive consists positioned further back in the train. In a narrower, more specific sense, a locomotive consist is a group of locomotives in a train that are controlled or operated together for motoring and braking purposes.
While traveling, the train may require communication with one or more dispatch centers, maintenance centers, or other local stations, which are off board/remote from the train (not on or part of the train) and positioned within a particular geographical region. Particularly, a locomotive operator may require such off board communications between the locomotive and the off board local stations for a safe and optimal operation of the train, for scheduling maintenance, for receiving dispatch instructions, etc.
Accordingly, there exists a need for systems and methods for helping the locomotive operator in managing such communications effectively.